Pink-Yellow Petal
by kusegoto
Summary: Akali knows Irelia busies herself. Therefore, she decides to pay her a visit, despite whatever else she might claim to be.


She'd be a fool to pretend her new office isn't an improvement from her bedroom's bench. It is wide; it has a beautiful window that overlooks the central garden of the Placidium Tower; and every two hours, one of the trainees will come by to water the plants. There's apparently going to be a fountain in her corner of the hall when they have the time for renovations.

But. The close interior of her bedroom is preferred to this wide, open space. She can easily see where a wall could divide the room in half, giving space to another occupant. Maybe General Yann, or one of the lieutenants. Someone else might appreciate the wide space they've given her. It's very generous; too generous for her.

At least she has room to pace. She walks to the plants, cupping the pink-yellow petals and running her thumb against the flank. She heard Karma designed the floral decorations. Or maybe just hers. It isn't difficult to imagine Karma kneeling in a garden, picking which one would look best as the sun rises.

When Irelia turns to pace back to her desk, there is a shadow at her window. The eight echoes of her blades ring when they lift behind her desk before she realizes Akali is slipping through the picture-style frame.

"Nice greeting," she says, dropping to her feet silently.

"What are you doing there?" Irelia asks, incredulous. "Walk through the front door like a normal girl."

"No way. Your people probably already have heard the rumours I've gone rogue." She makes little air-quotations with both her middle-index fingers. In her right hand, a navy cloth bag weighs heavy. "Probably stuck it right on Karma's desk."

"Shen's sent letters about you," Irelia replies, and yields the blades with a wave of her hand. They slowly, silently, rest back down. Akali watches them, but doesn't flinch. "They've passed my desk."

"Like a lost dog?"

"Akali."

"Anyway. I'm not walking through the front door. That's boring." She puts the sack on Irelia's desk. "It's not a far climb."

"You are scaling the walls of the Placidium Towers-"

"Irelia, they're like, three storeys high. They're hardly towers." The sack is the same size as most lunch bags Irelia has seen. "Look. I brought you bread."

"Bread?" Irelia sits once more in her seat, and Akali takes her place leaning on the stiff wooden armrest.

"Yeah. There's a bread festival going on in town." Akali intentionally lays the cloth down over the notices and agreements, once awaiting Irelia's signature and now cradle to warm slices of bread. "Bakeries, but I bought yours from a woman baking from her own kitchen."

"You didn't have to," Irelia insists.

"Probably not. But I knew you didn't pack a lunch or had any intention to eat."

Irelia furrows her brow, looking down at the bread. A loaf covered in additional slices, and two small pastries resting on top. She can imagine icing spread across them both, but she's not surprised even the bakeries can't afford such luxuries these days. Irelia gently takes them both off the pile, and lays them on the sack edges. "It's not intentional. It's just a mistake."

Akali takes one of the round two-bite slices that nearly fell on to Irelia's desk, crumbs and all. With a mouth full of food - which is, Irelia points out, entirely intentional - she says, "Just doing my job for General Xan."

Irelia shakes her head for a moment, eyes closed. "Well. Thank you. Perhaps I can forgive your wall-climbing antics if it meant I get warm bread."

"See? There's good intentions in everything I do." Akali leans herself back, leaning into Irelia's shoulder as she tugs down her mask below her chin. There's no doubt she's already gorged herself on everything the bakeries in town had on display, but Irelia likes the idea she might have saved her meal until she could crawl inside her office.

One of the slices is split, the right flank of crust hanging from the soft insides. Irelia peels it apart, and takes a bite. "This would be even better with berry jam."

"Or sunflower butter," Akali says, hand slipping into a pocket - and pulling out a small, shallow jar. But, Irelia finds herself smiling, just a little.

"Oh, come on," she says, with only a little bit of exasperation, hiding a smile. Irelia looks the other way, hesitating. "Stop spoiling me."

Akali places the small jar on the table, labelled with only a yellow ribbon. "Have it with the loaf. That one's yours. The little ring loaves are ours, though."

"I figured." The smile doesn't settle. She realizes they're both looking away only as Akali returns to hiding her face to finish eating her lunch. Or, second lunch. She's cleared entire meals they've had together before Irelia even finished her appetizers and soups. "Did you come by for anything other than a meal?"

"Sometimes a motive is just lunch," Akali replies. Irelia looks down at her waist, where her pack leans against her hips and leaves a slip of skin. Cautiously, she reaches forward, turning Akali around to face her. She'd lean into her stomach if she wasn't aware she had crumbs in the corner of her mouth.

"Face me," Irelia says, voice soft. "No one's here."

Akali never looks soft. Not even now, with her mask pulled down. Irelia likes that. "If they do, I'm ducking under the table."

"That's fine."

"And you'll have to deal with whatever implications we can cook up."

Irelia gives her a modest smirk, bumping her forehead against her stomach. Akali looks like she's threatening to sprinkle crumbs into Irelia's hair, but spares her with unbecoming mercy. "Fine. Gods know you'd come up with some reason to cause trouble."

"Not my fault I like the view from down-"

Irelia takes the opportunity to headbutt her stomach, next. Akali grunts. "I'm still working."

Akali bends herself forward, mocking her chagrin with a playful sneering sound. "Unfortunately. Eat your bread before I steal it."

"Now, that's counterproductive of your visit's intention."

"No. My intention was to see my girlfriend and bring her lunch. I have no moral qualms against causing her problems."

Irelia allows herself a puff of her cheeks, and makes a raspberry on Akali's stomach. Finally, she jumps back, and Irelia's grin is wider than she usually gives.

"Of course you don't. I have a letter opener somewhere for the spread, if you want."

"I'm destroying your professional resolve," Akali says, wiping her hand down her pant leg of crumbs before she goes sifting for the blade. "But it _is_ in exchange for sunflower butter, so maybe the country can deal with it."


End file.
